Updating
my makeup bag with natural cosmetics has been an eye-opener. I’ve been taken
aback time and again by the quality and allure of natural makeup products on
offer these days. For some unexplainable reason, I’ve also been quite surprised
by the actual size of my makeup bag. Am I really using this many products on a daily basis?

Not
that there’s anything wrong with using many products, as they all bring me
genuine joy, and putting on my makeup never feels like a chore. I thought I was
using about five products every day, but it turns out my must products alone
amount to about ten…

After this confession, let’s carry on along the same minimalist line: even my “not much makeup” everyday look is hardly ever complete without eye shadow. And why not use it every day! Instead of aiming to attract praise or second looks, I use it as a dash of colour to spice up my look.

Then why make the effort and fiddle around with eyeshadow that’s not even meant to be noticed? Well, the right shade of browny grey, for instance, creates a beautiful, intense gaze.

The eyelids are often naturally slightly darker than the rest of the face, but the effect tends to fade after applying foundation. With the right product, you don’t need to go to too much trouble: a good cream eyeshadow can be easily blended in with the fingertips in no time at all.

TESTING CREAM EYESHADOWS:

Why I love the original:

I think I originally found this MAC eyeshadow through Elin Kling’s feature on The Top Shelf on Into the Gloss. The post came out in August 2012, which makes it easy to work out how many years I’ve been using the MAC product on a regular basis. In other words, there has to be something about it – I’ve bought my fair share. I don’t think I’ve managed to completely finish that many eye shadows over the years though…?

The shade Groundwork is the perfect match for my skin tone. The brownish grey with a hint of purple is a slightly more intense version of the colour of my own eyelid. It’s like shadow in a jar! And I don’t seem to be the only one in the fan club – I’ve seen plenty of beauty columns praising the product through the years. The shade has a faint pearliness about it without glimmering on the eyelid – I bet that’s the reason the colour blends in and sets so perfectly.

People either love or hate cream eyeshadow. I’m a fervent friend, at least when wanting to apply a single elegant shade on my eyelids. Yes: cream eyeshadows have a habit of getting stuck in the folds of the eyelid during the course of the day. I don’t get too stressed about it – if I notice it’s happened, I simply wipe the eyeshadow back into place with my fingertip. If you can’t quite bring yourself to feeling so reckless, cream eyeshadow isn’t probably your thing. But in that case, you might just be missing out on the perks though: the pretty, delicate glow and the ease of not necessarily even needing to use a brush.

It may depend on the person, but in my case the MAC eyeshadow doesn’t tend to even clump. The silky, creamy texture blends in flawlessly, dries without shrinking or flaking, and stays put rather immaculately. And even if it did clump (sometimes skin just gets greasier than at other times…), it wouldn’t look that bad, as the shade is so close to my skin tone.

Sometimes I’ll wear this eyeshadow even without mascara, which shows how genius the shade actually is. Is she wearing makeup or not? Not many can be sure!

The ingredients in this particular jar aren’t the worst out there, but I’m on a quest to turn my makeup bag mostly natural. What’s so addictive about this product is its perfectshade – I wonder if I’ll find a natural equivalent?

How does the natural option compare:

I could almost swear that before going natural, Kjaer Weis has been a friend of the shade Groundwork – that’s how close the shade Gorgeous in the fairly new Kjaer Weis Cream Eyeshadow range comes.

The shade is a teeny bit darker, which doesn’t bother me – I was kind of after that seven per cent extra drama for my gaze anyway. Placed side by side in their containers, the difference looks starker than when comparing smeared on the back of the hand. And the difference is hardly noticeable when applied as a thin layer on the eyelids.

Even if
the shades are almost identical, there’s a difference in texture. Where the MAC
eyeshadow glides from the container onto the fingertip, the Kjaer Weis eyeshadow
takes some rubbing. The natural version has a drier and slightly waxier
consistency. Comparing side by side makes you sort of see why silicone compounds were added to cosmetics in the
first place. The Kjaer Weis version is probably the best possible naturally
made alternative though: a runnier or creamier consistency would be likely to
make it gather in the creases of the eyelids.

The MAC eyeshadow could be easily applied with the fingertip, whereas it’s worth pressing the Kjaer Weis product gently into place. A thin layer stays put nicely, blends in beautifully ­– and looks at least as flattering as its predecessor.

And how pretty it is! The luxurious Kjaer Weis packaging is in a class of its own. And the container is refillable, which makes sense considering it’s a product that’s likely to get one hooked for years to come.

Verdict:

I’m ready to make the Kjaer Weis eyeshadow a permanent addition to my makeup bag! I might reminisce on the extraordinary glide of the MAC version, but life is all about choices ­­– and I’d rather opt for the one with natural ingredients. The Kjaer Weis eyeshadow is by no means impossible to blend in ­– it is a cream eyeshadow to reckon with, and the compound prioritises durability over first impressions.

I hope this eyeshadow will retain the same level of creaminess and characteristics also in the future. The packaging size (2 g) is smaller than the MAC eye shadow (5 g), which I see as a good thing: I’m more likely to finish the product before it turns into a breeding ground for bacteria (yuk, one that’s applied onto the eyelids!) or dries up. The Kjaer Weis eye shadow comes with the promise of a 12-month shelf life after opening ­– used almost every day this shouldn’t be a problem!

The Kjaer Weis cream eyeshadow is currently limited to four shades, so if the browny grey taupe shade doesn’t work for your skin tone, you’ll have to wait for another nude shade for a while longer. I’ve also tested the label’s shade Alluring that glimmers in hues of bronze and gold, and is set to be the crowning glory to a glowy summery makeup look. Although it did do the trick also throughout the Christmas party season.

If cream eyeshadow isn’t your thing, it’s worth searching for a similar shade of brownish grey with a hint of purple among traditional eyeshadows on offer. In that case, use a larger and softer eyeshadow brush to create a gentle shadow reminiscent of the result you’d get with a cream eyeshadow, avoiding it looking like a block of colour. These, too, are of course matters of opinion!

Super luxurious alternative to my go-to eye shadow – check! More colour cosmetics to follow in the next instalment…

Updating the makeup bag with natural cosmetics ­– what’s it all about?

Inke’s Beauty Corner is looking to swap go-to products in the makeup bag for natural products ­– they have to be just as good but hopefully better.

Inke’s Beauty Corner puts natural cosmetics to the test as possible replacements for her go-to products. I’ve been testing natural cosmetics brands with an open mind and without major preconceptions, […]